16 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Kingston, area

There are now 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Kingston and the surrounding area, three of which were contracted through community spread. All of them, including a woman in her 70s who had been hospitalized, are now self-isolating at home.

Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health released the new number Thursday afternoon. One of the patients is a woman in her 20s who had travelled to Ireland, the other is a woman in her 40s who is a health-care worker. They’re both self-isolating.

Dr. Kieran Moore, medical officer of health for public health said both cases are “actively being investigated” to ensure both took the proper precautions to self-isolate and to try to decipher how they may have contracted the virus.

“For a number of these individuals, we can not tie them back to a travel history, we can’t tie it back to a patient that could have exposed them, and hence we do think there is some limited spread within the community,” Moore said.

Moore explained that the spread is “limited” because they’ve been testing anyone admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of pneumonia and residents at long-term care homes with respiratory outbreaks, and none of those tests have come back positive.

On Wednesday, the agency announced three new cases. While information about one of the cases is unknown two are healthcare workers: a woman in her 50s and another in her 30s.

The prevalence of health-care workers testing positive is a reflection of their testing bias, Dr. Moore said. He noted that none of the health-care workers have been physicians.

“We preferentially test health-care workers, given that we want to identify them early and prevent spread within the community or any practice or hospital setting,” Moore said.

Previously, and on the provincial website, information about the patients’ gender, age, transmission, their status and their local health authority are posted.

Public health’s website did reveal that 706 individuals were approved for COVID-19 testing, with 515 negative results and 175 pending.

Public health’s positivity rate is 2.26 per cent.

On Thursday, all of the municipalities that fall under the local public health domain declared a state of emergency. Dr. Moore said he appreciated their municipal partners making the move.

“They’ve done it with one voice and a consistent and persistent message,” Dr. Moore said. “That message is to take this seriously. To socially and physically distance and to do that more so now than ever.

“This is a crucial time in this COVID-19 threat. It is not a time to have anyone over for dinner. It is not a time to host social parties or to have birthday parties. I’m sorry to be the person to say that. Social gatherings should not be happening for the near or foreseeable future.”

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Cases reported by the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health

Reported on March 17:

A 28-year-old man who had travelled to the United Kingdom. He was to self-isolate at home. He was identified at the Hotel Dieu Hospital assessment centre before it moved to the Memorial Centre

A 44-year-old woman who had travelled to Spain. She was to self-isolate at home. She was identified at the Hotel Dieu Hospital assessment centre.

A 62-year-old woman who had travelled to Barbados. She was to self-isolate at home. She was identified at the Hotel Dieu Hospital assessment centre.

Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health then stopped releasing the exact ages of the patients and where they were tested for the virus, claiming the patients’ privacy would be at stake.

Reported on March 19:

A woman in her 70s who had travelled to Portugal. She was hospitalized due to the severity of her symptoms. She has since been released from hospital.

Reported on March 23:

A man in his 40s who had been in contact with someone who had travelled. He was to self-isolate.

A man in his 30s who had travelled to the United Kingdom. He was to self-isolate.

A man and woman, both in their 70s, who had travelled to Singapore. They were to self-isolate.

Reported on March 24:

A man in his 20s who had travelled to Mexico. He is to self-isolate.

A preteen boy who had contact with a traveller. He was to self-isolate.

A teenage girl who had contact with a traveller. She was to self-isolate.

Public health would not confirm if the preteen boy and the teen girl were in contact with the same traveller, claiming it could identify them.

Reported on March 25:

A woman in her 50s who is a health-care worker and contracted the virus in the community. She is self-isolating.

A woman in her 30s who is a health-care worker and contracted the virus in the community. She is self-isolating.

The third’s information is still “pending.”

Reported on March 26:

A woman in her 40s who is a health-care worker and contracted the virus in the community. She is self-isolating.

A woman in her 20s who recently travelled to Ireland. She is self-isolating.